


Come Away O Human Child

by KirianaStarfire



Series: The Stolen Child [1]
Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel, X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-13
Updated: 2013-10-13
Packaged: 2017-12-29 06:52:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1002280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KirianaStarfire/pseuds/KirianaStarfire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A small child is stolen from her home by unknown creatures from the far ends of the galaxy. Pitted against 5 other potential keys, they train her, make and unmake her, molding her until she suits their purpose.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is part one of Gaia's story. Please see series notes.

**London, England, spring 1853**

The air between the two trees in a small garden shimmered like heat coming off a rock as G’nera stepped through the portal between them. She wrapped her cloak more securely around her tall frame as she looked around, expecting to be seen, to be caught. But there was no one in the yard, and mere feet between her and her destination.

The house was a large, rambling affair. Three stories with flickering gas lights casting odd shadows off of furniture in several of the many windows. It was too dark to see what color it was, but G’nera new from her visions that it was blue with bright yellow shutters and elegant, white curtains in the windows.

Except in one.

G’nera’s large yellow eyes shifted to the second story window with frothy pink curtains. As she watched, a woman came over to shut the window with one arm. The other held a blonde child, roughly toddling age (if G’nera’s judgment of human aging was correct), carefully balanced so she wouldn’t fall. The child’s round face was relaxed with sleep and cradled comfortably on the woman’s shoulder. The pair stepped away from the window and the flickering shadows showed the woman placing the child in a small bed. She then turned and walked to the door, pausing only long enough to dim the gas light before leaving the room.

G’nera waited for a count of thirty before moving from her hiding spot at a slithering walk, gliding from shadow to shadow until she was crouched next to the brick foundation of the house between two bushes. Another count, and she began scaling the walls as easily as an insect thanks to a secretion on her skin that allowed her to stick to vertical surfaces and the strong claws that tipped each of her four fingers. When she reached the window, she paused, knowing that she looked like nothing more than a blobby shadow next to the window. Holding to the wall with one hand and her feet, she leaned over and eased the window open with a quiet creak.

The thief paused again, long enough to make sure that no one had heard the sound she had felt was too loud, but there was no disturbance. Without another pause, she carefully (ever so carefully; must be careful and silent in all things) snaked through the window and lowered her bare feet to the floor. Once in, she paused to listen again. This time she heard voices, two females, one older and one rather young, having a conversation in the room just below her.

“Agnes, is Margaret in bed?” the older voice asked.

“Yes, mum. Sleepin’ like a wee angel, she is.” The younger girl’s voice held a strange lilt to it that was oddly soothing, if G’nera was in any need of such comfort.

“Excellent. I believe I would like to take her out to the park in the morning. Have the carriage ready for ten, will you?”

“O’ course, mum. Will there be anything else?”

“I’ll have some letters that need to be sent out…” G’nera tuned them out at this point, deciding they were sufficiently distracted and would not notice her intrusion.

She turned to the cradle. It was dark wood carved elaborately with flowers and fairies. The linens were the same fountain of pink that the curtains were and nestled carefully inside their bounty was the child. Her blonde hair just curled to her shoulders and her rosebud mouth was slightly parted as she slept. One arm was at her side and the other was fisted next to her head. If G’nera opened her mind, she knew that she would feel the projections of the child’s dreams. A telepath and possibly telekinetic. That was why she was chosen.

G’nera’s slender, long fingered hand reaching inside the cloak for a pouch and deftly opened it with talon tipped fingers. She dipped two fingers into the pouch and sprinkled a fine dust over the girl’s face. She sneezed once, then settled so deeply into sleep that the house could come down around her and she would not wake. The thief wrapped her in one of the blankets and moved her to a sling strung over her chest. …come away o’ human child, she thought with a little smirk as she turned to leave the way she came. Some of the human poetry she had discovered while researching her target was quite apt.

She was just climbing the last of the way out of the window when she felt movement behind her, then heard a piercing scream. G’nera didn’t chance a look, but leapt from the window and curled protectively around her bundle as she landed. She stood and ran towards the trees just as people from the house came flooding out of the doors. Someone was chasing her, had almost grabbed her cloak and…

She jumped between the trees and felt the gateway close behind her. She stood slowly and took a moment to allow her eyes to adjust to the sudden onslaught of bright, sterile light. Her arms were wrapped around the infant and she loosened one to pull back her hood. When she did, she revealed a hairless, oblong skull with no ears and pale blue/green skin. Her eyes were yellow with no pupil apart from a small pinprick of green at the center.

G’nera turned to the man running the gate, waiting to speak as he shut down the machine.

“Did you get her?” he asked, his voice reverberating off of G’nera’s open ear canals in familiar baritone. The language he spoke was fluid, liquid gabble that G’nera understood perfectly as it was her native tongue.

“I got her,” she replied in the same language. She looked down at the sleeping baby. “I will put her in bay six. When she and the others wake, the testing can begin.”

**Pa’Dhorha’n Plains, Testing Facility, 8 years later**

G’nera watched the five children through the glass, her bald head cocked to one side. She knew without looking that two people stood on her left side and two on her right. The sixth had been dismissed three years ago when his protégé from a small moon somewhere in the horsehead nebula had failed and been humanely dispatched. That had ended Ur’an’s time in their little group and he had been transferred to work on The Project. Now there were five, and the time was rapidly approaching for the next of the unworthies to be weeded out.

The children were all standing in a line, separated by humming energy walls. They were so still and silent that they could almost have been dolls, but they were in mental contact with one another and with the machines. This was learning time. Today’s lesson focused on a star system that none of them were from. The information was downloaded directly into their brains and sorted through automatically by the safety chips each one had implanted beneath their skulls.

G’nera studied the competition against her Sol3. Enu2 wasn’t any competition. The clumsy child was covered in shaggy, tawny fur, was already half again as tall as his playmates, and had paws rather than hands. Not that these were strikes against him. In fact, they were part of what made them think an Enu2 child with the correct abilities could be used for their purposes. But for a telepath, the child was singularly dull and had no other abilities to speak of. All efforts to trigger any latent abilities had failed, and it was unlikely that he’d be able to undergo the other changes that were necessary for the project to be complete. No. Enu2 was not a threat. In fact, he and his handler, J’rai, would probably be the next to go.

Janu6, however, might be an issue. G’nera shifted her attention to the blue skinned, four armed male. He was small and lithe, at least a hands breadth shorter than Sol3. From what G’nera had studied, the child looked like something from some of the religious mythology of a country on Sol3’s planet. His mind was lightning quick, and he had responded to their efforts to awaken his abilities as though he’d already had them active. Troublesome.

Shifting her thoughts again, G’nera studied Hava4, the only other female in the group since Ur’an’s had failed. The child was as dark as Sol3 was pale, with white hair and a long tail that ended in a white tuft. Sol3 and Hava4 were on a mental level with one another and often communicated mentally. The fact was, those two and the fifth child, Tyr12, were forming a particularly strong triad. If the link couldn’t be severed without damaging them, then perhaps it should be encouraged. Three guardians would be better than one.

Tyr12 was an Ardaan, like G’nera and the rest of them. He had been given by his parents to the project willingly when he’d shown the proper initial signs. It was an honor for them to have had him selected. They were helping to prevent a chaotic end to all things by their sacrifice. Not that Tyr12 knew this. He, just like the rest, had no parents once they entered these walls. Tyr12’s parents knew that contact was forbidden, and hadn’t once tried to break that rule. At least, not as far as G’nera knew.

So, that was the competition. G’nera felt confidant that Sol3 had a solid chance. 

She watched the children, for that was all they were, and wondered at the irony of it all. Such fragile things to pin their hopes on. They would be strong once G’nera and the others were finished with them. Those that passed these next rounds would begin obtaining genetic upgrades to their bodies to help them to survive their duty. It would make the cullings more difficult, but by then there would be physical contests as well as intellectual ones to help make the decisions. The ones that couldn’t survive those contests would, obviously, be out of the running. 

G’nera could only hope that Sol3 would survive. The humans were more fragile than other races. Younger, too. The others had laughed when she had suggested the race, called her a fool for considering it, but... G’nera had good instincts. She believed that this small being, with all her frailties and the flaws of her race, could be the perfect trigger. 

She hoped her instincts were right. If not... well. There would be no replacement assignment for her failure.


	2. Chapter 2

**Pa’Dhorha’n Plains, Testing Facility, 4 years later**

Sol3 panted heavily as she watched her opponent through wary blue eyes. Janu6’s arms moved in a fluid pattern that would have been hypnotizing if she’d let it distract her. But, she’d come against him before in these exercises and knew his tricks. Fortunately, he didn’t know all of hers. Sol3 knew he didn’t because she’d explored his mind without his knowing. The male was cocky and sure that he was going to be their masters’ chosen one. He didn’t know what for, but he wanted to be it. 

Sol3 knew. She had searched their minds. It had terrified her. She’d been so certain she would be caught, but she hadn’t been. Their minds showed no knowledge that she had ever been in there. 

They were building a device. It was a machine and it would be ready in ten years. They, the three of them that were left, were being considered to act as a trigger point for this device. Sol3 wasn’t entirely certain what they were building it for, but it had something to do with the end of the universe. But... according to all the knowledge that had been given to them, that was millenias away. Why plan for it now? 

Sol3 didn’t know, but right now, her only job was to survive. And she wanted to survive. She didn’t know anything but this, the constant training and treatments and battles, and while there was a part of her that knew there had to be more to some peoples lives, that wasn’t hers. This was all she had and she wanted to keep it. 

She looked for the opening that she knew Janu6 would give her. He was somewhat predictable in his battle techniques. Try and hypnotize and when he feels that his prey is off balance enough strike left and low. Sol3 was ready for him, though, and when he did, she sent a psionic blast into his head that sent him end over end into the wall of their arena. When that was done she didn’t pause to watch him, but ran to the other end and began to scale the wall with the spikes built into the gloves on her hand. They were her own invention. A few years ago the Ardaans had given them all a new power: creation. They could make whatever they wanted with just the power of their minds and by tapping into the energy and matter trapped in what they called the void. The only limitation was their imaginations. Only Sol3 had taken those words to heart and started making things that might help her survive. The others made copies, minor improvements on what they’d been taught, but Sol3 made items after only seeing them in her mind. 

She climbed up the wall and once she deemed she was high enough did she turn to look and see the state of her opponent. Janu6 wasn’t where he had landed and when she looked again she saw him below her, trying to climb after her. His extra arms helped him to cling to the rock wall, but they didn’t allow him to move very quickly. Sol3 pushed herself back and turned to tuck herself into a ball so that she could roll when she hit the ground. Janu6 wasn’t expecting that move. Sol3 felt the hard, packed dirt hit the bottoms of her feet and she instinctively rolled forward and exhaled. Her momentum was enough that she was able to roll back up to her feet and her body surged into a defensive position. 

Janu6 leapt down from his perch on the wall and rushed her. Sol3 was just preparing to leap out of the way when a shimmering, green wall appeared between them. 

_/Enough. That is enough for today./_

The two looked up towards the podium where they could barely make out the figure that had spoken in their minds. G’nera. She was Sol3’s mentor and the closest thing to a parent she had. Which wasn’t saying much, given the distance with which the Ardaans regarded their proteges. 

There were only three of them left. Janu6, Sol3, and, surprisingly, Enu2. The furry being had proven to be more capable as he had grown into his ungainly limbs and now was the only one of the two that Sol3 found to be a challenge. At least, physically. Mentally, he was still somewhat dull to her estimation, but the Ardaans did not seem to mind. Perhaps they wanted them to be slightly dull for what they intended. Sol3 didn’t know, but she knew that she would someday find out. 

The air shimmered around Sol3 and the next moment she was in her cubicle room. At least, she assumed it was hers. They all looked the identical, so it didn’t much matter if it was hers or one of the others. The room was a rectangle just long enough for her to lie down in to sleep. It had no door or windows or any furnishing. The walls were completely white and it was lit by an ambient glow that had no discernible point of origin. The light was dimmer than it normally was, but not completely dark. Sol3 used the level of light to determine what was expected of her. She sank to the floor and folded her legs into what was, for her, a comfortable position that she could sit in for a while. Then she closed her eyes. It was time for her to focus on everything that she had learned, ingraining it into her memory as though etched in stone. When she came here, she never knew how much time passed until she was taken out again, but she didn’t mind. It was the closest she ever got to what could be considered “free time.” 

On a normal day, Sol3 would have been obedient and meditated until she was summoned again or the light in the room changed. Today was not a day that she wanted to do that. Instead, she took initiative - an unspoken taboo among the prospectives - and sent her mind out towards those that were her teachers, guides, and prison guards. 

The Ardaans were, as near as Sol3 could tell, a singularly -- intrusively -- scientific race. This whole thing was an experiment to them leading up to a climactic result that would shake the foundations of the universe - or so they claimed. Sol3 had a private, heavily shielded opinion that they thought very highly of themselves and that the rest of the universe wouldn’t agree with them. However, since her exposure to the rest of the universe had been limited to the other prospectives and whatever she had gleaned from the minds of the Ardaan scientists they were all entrusted to, she could very well be wrong. She would never know. 

Besides, she wasn’t supposed to have things like opinions. 

She wasn’t supposed to have emotions, either, but that didn’t keep her from experiencing surges of them. She learned about emotions from the lessons she’d been given in humanity and most other races. Fact: the Ardaans were one of the few races that didn’t really utilize their emotions, though they did have them. There were a few races that didn’t have an emotional response to anything, but they were fairly bland as far as Sol3 was concerned. 

The emotion that she was most familiar with was hatred, followed closely by desperation. Sol3 hated the Ardaans for what they were doing to her and the others. She knew it was for the greater good, or at least that’s what they kept telling her and she had no way to prove otherwise, but that didn’t keep her from hating them. Why had they taken her life? What would she have been if she’d been left alone? She’d never know. She knew all about her planet of origin’s history up to a certain point, but she didn’t even know what era she was from. And for that ignorance and the Ardaans interference, she hated them. 

The desperation stemmed from the hatred and the fact that despite the knowledge that she didn’t have much of a life here, and probably wouldn’t for the rest of eternity, she wanted to live. As long as she was alive, she might find a way out. But dead was dead and that’s what she’d be if she didn’t prove herself to be better than the rest of the prospectives. 

Sol3 sent out her awareness and settled it to listen to the heads of the Ardaans’ Amalgamator project. It was mostly routine talk. Reporting on the progress of the machine and the prospectives was usually first on the list. That was followed by the progression of changes that needed to be made, either to the children or to the machine’s specifications. Today they were talking about changes that needed to be made to the prospectives and Sol3 winced to herself. Dammit, that was going to hurt. She loathed the genetic changes they made her go through. They were usually painful and usually took her the better part of a week to get used to. The last one had increased her telepathy to the point that she’d had nightmares for a month straight and projected them to everyone within a considerable range until she got her shielding under control. The Ardaans would have been upset except that it was proof that her abilities were stronger than they’d anticipated. So, instead of killing her for ruining their sleep, they’d congratulated themselves on a job well done. It was better than the alternative. 

She listened to try and determine what this new set of changes would be. From the sound of it, they were discussing increasing the strength of their matter creation abilities to be able to potentially handle the triggering of the device and new chip implants were in order. Well, that last one wouldn’t be terrible. She could tell her current chip was getting a bit run down and unable to keep up with the flow of information that it was supposed to be limiting by the random bursts of knowledge that would hit her out of nowhere. Not that she had told them because that seemed like she’d be admitting a flaw and flaws were culled. Besides, she wasn’t supposed to be a real person anyway. 

Then their conversation turned to which of them would likely be culled from the program next. All three of them were discussed and Sol3 listened attentively. This was a good way for her to garner information about those she was up against. 

Enu2 was still dull, but there was always the possibility that they liked that about him. It didn’t seem likely, and the more she listened to the conversation about him, the less likely it seemed, but it was a possibility. He did what he was supposed to, but didn’t do anything more than that, which pointed to laziness as well as just being boring. They did like how strong he was getting, however, and discussed the benefits of his strength versus his lack of initiative for what Sol3 felt like was an unwarranted amount of time.

Janu6 was a concern to them, not because he wasn’t capable, but because he wasn’t imaginative at all. Amongst themselves, the Ardaans admitted to being unable to predict what kinds of threats the Amalgamator might be presented, and the GAIA needed to be both trigger and guardian. Sol3 wasn’t sure what a GAIA was, but she guessed it was what they were all being groomed to potentially be. As much as they wanted to be able to control their trigger point, they also needed it to have some sense of autonomy as well. 

Finally, they started discussing her and Sol3 paid close attention. Some of them had been against her since the beginning, simply because she was human and there was no way that a race so young could produce something that could be of use to them. G’nera had argued against that point effectively every time it came up and it was old news to Sol3. The last few meetings that she’d listened in on, they appeared to have dropped that argument in favor of a new one: physical weakness. It was true that when it came to brute strength, Sol3 was not a match for the males. She was strong, certainly, and her lean body was little more than whipcord muscle under skin apart from the chest blobs that had begun to develop several cycles ago. However, she’d never be able to take the males on in a feat of brute strength. But, she’d worked around that by being creative and had managed to best both of them in most competitions simply by being faster and quicker to think through a situation. They had the images to prove that. 

Another concern was the amount of initiative that she’d been taking, particularly with her creation of items to assist her in the arenas. It figured that the thing they thought Enu2 lacked was one of the things they thought she had too much of. They’d complain over anything. G’nera was surprisingly silent during this discussion. Usually, she was Sol3’s most ardent supporter. Now she was quiet and it wasn’t until Sol3 carefully probed her mind that she knew why. 

The ones arguing the most were Janu6’s and Enu2’s handlers. And they were arguing because they could tell that Sol3 was winning. G’nera didn’t need to say a thing because everything they would say, and everything the rest of the council could see on the vids would prove that Sol3 was currently top choice for the GAIA. That was comforting. Except Sol3 didn’t quite know what being a GAIA entailed. Had to be better than being dead, though. She hoped.

Sol3 sighed and brought her mind back to herself where it belonged. Well. At least she was forewarned about the changes and she knew a bit more about where she stood in the ranking of things. But she couldn’t let it make her over confident or go lax in her training. That was what had killed Tyr12 three years ago. He had been the front runner until then, but he got cocky and had gotten caught between one of Sol3’s mind bolts and Hava4’s spears. He hadn’t suffered long, thankfully, but Hava4 wasn’t the same after it. 

The three of them had been extremely close, forming a tight mental link that had assisted them until that fateful day. There had even been talk of making all three of them trigger points, but those talks had stopped the day Tyr12 was killed. Hava4 had drawn into herself and almost pulled Sol3 with her. It was only sheer stubbornness and will that had kept Sol3 from following. Instead, she’d ruthlessly severed the remaining link she’d had with Hava4 to save herself. It had been the right choice and Sol3 had never felt anything like what remorse was supposed to feel like. 

When she opened her eyes, she looked up and saw G’nera standing against one wall. Silently, Sol3 stood and made the greeting gesture they’d all been taught so long ago that it was second nature. 

_/How long have you been listening to us, Sol3?/_ G’Nera asked without preamble. Her tone was completely unreadable. 

Sol3 answered promptly and honestly. _/Since you expanded my telepathy last cycle, G’Nera. It seemed like a good idea./_

_/And what have you learned?/_

_/What you think of our progress, what changes are planned, and about the device you are creating./_ Sol3 stood straight. She knew that she had done something that was not expected or encouraged or even precedented. But she wasn’t sorry about doing it. She needed every advantage she could get. 

G’nera studied her for a moment and then nodded. _/Good. You may continue. But do not let the others know that you are watching. You have remained anonymous until now. It should be no difficulty for you to continue./_

Sol3 was surprised by that, but she didn’t show it. Instead she kept her mind and her expression blank. _/Of course. How did you find out?/_

The Ardaan offered a small, mirthless smile. _/Let’s just say that you are not the only one my colleagues underestimate. Rest now. You’re going to be the first to undergo the newest enhancements./_

Sol3 swallowed at that while she watched G’nera disappear from the cell. Being first was a blessing and a curse. It meant she had more time to recover and grow used to the changes, but it usually also meant that they would hurt more. 

The lights dimmed to sleeping level and Sol3 sank down to the floor. She turned to lay on her back and closed her eyes. Despite what G’nera had revealed and what Sol3 had learned, the routine remained. Darkness meant rest. And if what she knew was coming, rest was a necessity.


	3. Chapter 3

**Pa’Dhorha’n Plains, Testing Facility, 10 years later**

Sol3 was strapped down to a medical table. It was a familiar position, really. She didn’t know what they were going to be doing to her, which was odd and uncomfortable. For the past ten cycles she’d always known what was going to be done to her and the others before it had even been fully confirmed thanks to her ability to listen in on the conversations of the Ardaans through her telepathy. As the years had passed, she’d gotten better at hiding her presence until she was certain that not even G’nera was aware of her anymore. Not that she had any illusions that the scientist thought she’d given up the pastime. G’nera knew her better than that. 

Sol3 closed her eyes and tried to enter a meditative state as the scientists that always administered these treatments came through the doors. They were all tall and bald with skin tones in varying shades of green and blue. That was the Ardaan base appearance. But, like with any other species, once you knew them there were differences that made it easy to tell one from another. G’nera, for instance, had always been on the slight side for an Ardaan, both in bone structure and height. Additionally, her skull was a bit more long than others and her nose a bit more peaky. The primary physician on the project, Tkath, was taller than most Ardaans with a skull that was more round than long and eyes that were so dark a green and so small they tended to fall into the beady category of description. 

With her eyes closed, Sol3 could see none of this, but she knew them as well as she knew her own body. Additionally, with her telepathy she could see into their minds, no matter that they’d shielded. Many times she wondered if they had realized they made her powerful enough to get past those shields. If they hadn’t she wasn’t going to be the one to enlighten them. It was useful. Such as now when she could see who was there. They were all minds she recognized except one. This one was a male mind and if ego were anything to judge by he would be a giant among Ardaans. However, she did not have much time to peruse before she was spoken to. 

_/Sol3./_

The voice in her mind made her open her eyes and she saw that she was looking at the new Ardaan. And he was disappointingly average. Everything about him was the Ardaan average. Height, build, skull shape, eye color, everything. It was like someone had taken one of those data files on the species and breathed life into one of the anatomy pictures. 

_/You have been selected as the GAIA,/_ he intoned importantly, letting her know that he believed this to be a great honor and that it wasn’t one he thought she deserved. _/When you leave this chamber you will be implanted with the Amalgamator and begin your duties as a protector of the universe. Do you know what the Amalgamator is for?/_

Gaia knew. She’d known for a long time since she’d been stealing into the minds of those she’d begun to privately think of as her captors. However, she was not supposed to know, so she answered as expected. _/No, t’then’inn,/_ she told him, using the usual Ardaan word for a respected elder. She could feel G’nera’ relief that she’d lied. Did the scientist really think that she’d be foolish enough to tell the truth? 

_/It is a device for the end of the universe, a last resort to save sentience and consciousness when the end of all things is nigh,/_ Jednra told her, his eyes boring into hers. It made Sol3 feel like she wanted to squirm and try and get away, but she had too much self control to even attempt it. Instead, she stayed utterly still and watched him with a sort of vague intensity that she knew made their kind uncomfortable but they couldn’t say why. _/It is not to be activated unless the end of all things is imminent. You will be the guardian and the initiator of the device. The GAIA. It will be your sacred duty to ensure not only that the Amalgamator is activated at the correct time but also that those who would try to activate it prematurely do not. It is a responsibility that will last the rest of time as we know it./_

Sol3 nodded sagely, as though she weren’t strapped down to a medical table. _/I understand./_

_/Good. This will be the last of the enhancements that you will receive. When you are taken from here you will be left with the Amalgamator and be the GAIA. Congratulations./_ He didn’t wait for her to respond, but nodded to Tkath who stepped forward with a pressure syringe to administer the first dose of whatever it was they were doing to her. 

They’d kept her awake for all the enhancements she’d had for her entire life. Occasionally, particularly in the early days, she’d pass out from the pain of her genetic code being re-written, but more often she was able to ride it out. So, when she started to feel drowsy seconds after the syringe had hissed the air out she looked curiously at Tkath before falling into limp oblivion. 

_/Is it wise to render her unconscious for this/_? Jednra asked as Tkath began to work. 

_/Yes. She will continue to fight even though she is unconscious. Her body will. Her powers are strong enough that having her unconscious will protect us. I am changing more here than I ever have in a sitting,_ t’then’inn,/ Tkath explained as he injected something into the human. Seconds later her body began to quiver and shake. _I am re-writing her basic code, not just enhancing the skills she would have had normally. After this not only will she not age, but she will not be affected by any toxins and she will heal at an accelerated rate of any injuries she incurs while doing her duties. Additionally, I will be pushing her skills of telepathy, telekinesis, and creation to their maximum so that when the time comes she can act as the trigger point. At this point she can only almost act as the trigger point. Sheer will might bring her through it, but I wouldn’t guarantee it./_

_/And she is strong enough?/_ Jednra asked skeptically. _Remember that when the Amagamator is activated all peoples will be combined into her. Is this… human,/_ he all but sneered the word, _/strong enough to handle that?/_

_/She will be,/_ Tkath assured him even as the unconscious body on the table bowed up under the force of the changes taking place in her body. 

Jednra nodded and turned to leave. He stepped out of the room and looked to his left to see G’nera. _/G’nera. I see we underestimated you choice. But remember, if she fails, the entire project fails, and it will be your responsibility./_

G’nera nods. _/The same could be said for any subject and its selector,/_ t’then’inn,/ she said softly. _/Yet I feel you would not have given them the same reminder./_

Jednra leveled a look at G’nera that told her she was correct before he moved on. He had important business to attend to. 

G’nera turned to the window, watching the frail creature as she thrashed unconsciously on the table and Tkath worked patiently with his team. She’d grown to be lovely by what G’nera understood of human conventions. Her pale hair had just enough curl to it to be vaguely unruly and was currently long enough to trail to the middle of her back when bound as it was now. Her skin was pale and the eyes behind those closed lids were vibrant blue. Sol3, now GAIA, had high cheekbones and a jaw that squared off vaguely before rounding into a delicate chin. Her body was slim and muscular, though she’d developed the roundness of body in her hips and chest that this species was known for in its females. G’nera knew she was strong, but more than that, she was quick and intelligent. She’d proved it over and over. 

And she’d continue to prove it as the GAIA.


End file.
